AN: Answer to JonnorFTW - sorry, but in this story there will be no Jonnor. Maybe in next one *wink, wink* (check the end)
Lena POV
December 24
"Has Jude said anything?" my mom asks as she helps me set the dinner table "About what he wants? Who he wants to live with?"
"We are pretty sure he doesn't know himself what he wants," I say placing the glasses neatly in front of the plates
"That poor kid has probably never been so confused in his entire life" Sharon said folding the napkins. My mom nods back, agreeing with what Sharon said. It is rare them to agree on something. This was one of the rare times it happened.
"He is put in front of an impossible decisions!" Stuart said walking around the table, placing down silverware "If either one of you, wouldn't have his best interest at heart, it would make his decisions easier. But from what you have told us about his sister, I can tell - both sides love him unconditionally," my dad shook his head "I don't see how he could ever choose"
"That's what worries us so much. Right now, he is living at two places – that's not good for him. He needs stability. He needs a home," I say worried as I place the last glass down
"You said she was 18" Sharon spoke up "Is she really up for the responsibility of taking care of her younger brother?"
"She's more responsible than our three oldest combined. She has been taking care of him ever since they were placed in foster care at age 10" I reply back, just before the front doors opened. Brandon peaked his head in the dinner room the next second. Jesus, Mariana, Jude and Stef – the gang that went to pick him up from airport, walked in after him.
"Brandon!" I called out, excited to finally have him back home. I hurry around the table and wrap my hands around him, pulling him in a tight hug "It is so nice to finally have you home, baby!"
"I'm happy to be back" He said back hugging me back
"I missed you so much" I kiss his cheek when I lean out of the hug
"Missed you too mom. But you know that I was home like 3 weeks back" He replies with a smirk on his lips
"That was just for the weekend. Finally you are home for 2 whole weeks" I say looking up to him, taking in his appearance. He seemed more skinnier than last time. College must be really stressful for him (it is for everyone).
"You have gotten skinnier. Are you eating three times a day in the big city?" Dana asked from the side. Brandon turned his attention to all of his grandparents.
"I'm fine grandma!" he said walking over to her and giving her a hug
It was already 6 PM. Everyone was dressed up. The Christmas tree was decorated. Dinner table was set. I need to take out the lasagne any minute now, but Callie still wasn't here. Everyone was getting impatient. Grandparents wanted to meet her, but everyone else wanted to eat, especially Jesus.
I left the kitchen and walked over to the living room where Jude was sitting along with the other kids. Stef and our parents were in the dinning room, talking.
"Have you heard from her, bud?" I ask walking over to the window, hoping I would see her coming down the street
"I called her 5 minutes ago. She said she got held back at work" Jude informs me
"Who works on Christmas?" Brandon asked in a snobbish tone, that suggested to me, that he was laughing about her. Jude shot him an angry look at once.
I instantly flick his ear, not too hard though, just to get his full attention.
His hand flies up to cover his ear "Why did you do that for?" He asked me, as he is looking up to me, shocked by my action
"Lose that attitude!" I tell him sternly, not messing around
"Sorry" He muttered rubbing his ear
"Callie's actually really nice" Mariana said to B with a smile
"Yeah, and her place is really cool" Jesus added, when Jude stood up and walked out, probably heading to bathroom.
I turned to the three kids once Jude was gone and place my hand on Brandon's shoulder. Looking down to him I say "I don't want to hear one mean word out of your mouths regarding Callie. Is that clear?" I look up to the twins, who both nodded their head back instantly "I want you all on your best behavior! She is a guest and we will make her feel welcomed and make her feel like home!"
When the doorbell rang, Jude was the one who run to open it. He pushed his chair back and hurried to the front doors. We all heard them talk in hushed voices by the doors. When Callie and Jude finally appeared for others to see, she looked incredibly nervous.
"Sorry that I'm late. I got held up at work," Callie said apologetically walking down the two steps
"Don't worry about" Stef says to her. Callie looked over the table to the fresh faces.
"Callie, these are my parents Dana and Stuart" I gesture to them
Like usually I sat at the end of the table, facing the window. On my left were my parents, Sharon and Stef, who sat closest to me. On my right there was an open spot for Callie, next was Jude and the twins. But Brandon sat on the other end of the table.
"And Stef's mother Sharon" I smile at Stef's mom when I introduce her "And this is Jude's sister - Callie" I look up to Callie, who now looked like she was frozen in her spot. I could tell, these kind of introductions made her very anxious and nervous.
"It is lovely to finally meet you" my mom spoke up first, breaking the silence
"Everyone speaks very highly of you" Stuart added kindly, looking at the girl
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Callie" Sharon said lastly, smiling up to the girl
"It's um...nice to meet you as well" Callie replied weakly after a moment. She lifted her hand up when she turned to me "The same wine like last time - Merlot grape" She handed me the bottle as I was the closest to her.
"Once again, you didn't have to" I tell her when I take the bottle from her hand
"And gingerbread," Callie said holding up a box "Home made. Baked them yesterday," Callie hands me the box as well and smiles warily
"Home made good, that's amazing" Stef comments with a big smile on her face "Can't wait to taste them"
I hand the wine bottle to Stuart, so he can open it and pour in the glasses. We had our own wine prepared, but I guess, that had to wait.
"Please sit" Stef gestures as I place the box of homemade gingerbread away for now. We will have them after the main meal.
When Callie sits down she lifts up the Christmas theme brooch that was placed by her plate. She looks around the table and looks at the small Christmas accessories everyone has on. Jude next to her had a Christmas bow-tie, he looked so cute in it.
"It's a little thing I like to do on Christmas. Everyone has a Christmas accessories on" I say and point to the lights around my neck. I then reach for the brooch. She gives it to me, still looking at me confused by all of this.
"May I?" I ask wanting to put it to her shirt
"Um..."She looked around the table one more time. Jude next to her nodded, nudging her to allow it "Yeah...sure"
I pin the brooch to her chest "There, now you have officially joined the Adams Fosters Christmas celebration!"
When Stuart reached for the glass in front of Callie's plate, Stef stopped him, before I or Callie herself could.
"She doesn't drink Stuart" Stef said looking to Stuart
"Oh...okay" Stuart nodded back and reached for my glass instead
"Can we please, eat?" Jesus asked sounding desperate "We have been sitting here for 5 minutes with the food right in front of us!"
"Yes, please! Let's eat before it get's cold!" I say and everyone reached for something on the table to start the Christmas feast
We have now made it pass the main and thankfully it was going much better than it did last time. Callie was still here, no one has said anything mean or rude to her, that would drive her away. Yes, our parents were questioning her like crazy, but that was purely out of curiosity. No one hadn't said anything to hurt her in any way, and Callie held her own pretty good. Even against my mother. Up until now, that is.
Mom leans back in the chair, once she finished her wine. She cleans her mouth in the napkin and looks to Callie.
"So, Callie, shat about you? Don't you want to go to college and get a degree?" Mom asked and peaked a look to Brandon, who smiled proudly back. I think my mom is even more prouder than Stef and I, that he got into Julliard.
Callie emptied the glass of juice. Then, just like my mom, cleaned off her mouth in the napkin and replied in a half chuckle "In another life maybe"
"Why not in this one?" Mom asked back straight forward
Callie blinked back at her for a moment, before she answered "I don't think that I'm...college material" she struggled to find the right words
"And why is that? Why do you think you are not made for college? To me you seem like a smart, young woman. Capable of doing anything you set your eyes on!"
There was dead silence at the table as everyone was waiting for Callie to answer. All eyes were on here. I wasn't sure if I should step in and stop my mom from interrogating her or if I should allow Callie to answer that.
"I'm..I..uh..I'm" Callie stuttered but nothing else came out, her look was down to the table in front of her
"You what?" Mom asks her tilting her head sideways, pushing her for an answer in the nicest way she knows how "Are you scared? Do you think you are not smart enough? You don't know what you want to study? Don't know which college to apply to? You don't think you can get in? If you need any help deciding, I am sure Lena would love to help you!"
Callie looked up to my mother. She run her tongue over her dry lips before answering, in what seemed like a very emotionless, rehearsed manner "I have Jude to think about"
Of course Callie would say that. She puts him in front of her own needs. I am pretty sure, Callie's life resolves around that boy. I start to doubt, if she even knows a life, where Jude's needs aren't put in front of hers. Callie probably doesn't know anymore how to take care of herself, without taking care of Jude first.
"Has Jude ever said – don't go to college?" Dana asked her back, not breaking eye contact with her
"No" Callie replied instantly "I have to work. So I can support him...and myself. I have to put food on the table. And earn money, so I can send Jude to college later on"
"So you are giving up your life, your future, so Jude can have his?" Mom asked to clarify
"Yes" Callie said back louder and with more certainty
"You think his life is worth more than yours?"
"Yes" Callie confirmed it without thinking twice about it. It was hard to hear that Callie thinks so little of herself. It was hard to hear that, Callie doesn't think her life is worth anything, that her life doesn't matter.
"Who told you that?"Mom asked back leaving Callie speechless. Her mouth parted few times, but she closed it back up. She rubbed the bridge of her noise nervously. But no answer came. So, my mother decided to answer that questions herself.
"I think you are putting your own life down, because you don't believe in yourself. Because you think you don't matter! But you do matter, Callie! You were forced to become an adult way too fast and you put all of this pressure on yourself. Taking care of Jude is the only thing you have know for the last 8 years and now you can't even imagine a life, where you don't have to be responsible for anyone else but yourself! You think it is your job to be responsible for Jude?" Mom detained a small pause. It wasn't meant for Callie to answer her. And Callie didn't. She sat quietly and continued to listen what Dana had to say next.
"Well, guess what Callie -it's not your job-, because you are a kid yourself! You are not his parent! Jude is your brother, not you son!" Mom pointed to Jude, who was sitting right next to Callie. Jude glanced up to Callie briefly to see her face. But Callie kept her eyes on Dana on the other side of the table, not breaking the eye contact.
"Instead of being kid yourself, you had to take care of that boy, because no one else would. And it is admirable. Not many kids could do that! But you did! You were his parent and sister at the same time. Everything you did, you did for Jude. You pretended to know what you were doing, so Jude wouldn't worry. When in truth, you were just as scared, confused and worried as he was. But you are too proud or too stubborn to admit it! You are scared because you don't know what you would be without Jude! You are afraid to ask people for help, because you have been let down and hurt too many times before. You are afraid to let Stef and Lena take care of him, because you think you are going to lose him. But you need to let-"
"Mom!" I interject before she says too much. Mom glanced to me, surprised that I called her out. After a moment of stare down between us, she cleared her throat and leaned back in her chair. Thankfully, she didn't continue what she wanted to say to her.
The tension around the table was high. Callie sat staring back at Dana and Dana stared right back at her. Everyone could tell that what Dana said, hit close to home. Callie was trying to keep her face as blank as possible, but she failed. Her eyes gave her away. I would not have the guts to tell it her so bluntly, but my mother is famous for being blunt and saying what is on her mind.
"Excuse me" Callie said quietly after a moment. Thankfully, once Callie left the table, she didn't go straight for the front doors. Callie went straight to the first floor bathroom and locked the doors behind her.
To be continued...
AN: Like I said before, story is coming to end. Only 2 more chapters left. With that in mind, question for you all - would you like a sequel?(I know it's hard question, because you don't even know how this will end)